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CHAPTER IV.
(Continued from last week.)
UST come right in, Miss Lura.’’ There
was genuine welcome in the invitation, but
the mountain woman stopped short at the
top step as if embarassed. “I hope as
J
how you won’t mind,” she apologized, “but they’s a
man a-lyin’ in there by the hearth. He got hurt
down at the works and they brung him on up here.”
“I don’t mind, of course,” assured the girl graci
ously. “But shan’t I disturb?’ ’
“Oh, no, ma’am, not at all,” said Mrs. Shelton
warmly. “Only—as Ben’s just stepped out, we can
go right on through to the kitchen. I’ve got my
churnin’ in there.”
As they tiptoed softly over the loose, creaking
planks, Lura shot one swift, curious glance toward
the much bundled-up heap on the hearth. She could
not see a single feature for the quilts and the arm
which covered his face. Only the small pool of blood
that had run out from under the heap of bedclothes
caught her eye, and she shuddered.
“Is —was he badly hurt, Mrs. Shelton?” asked
Lura when they were in the stove-room; she herself
standing behind the stove as if she had been used to
pots and pans all her life; Airs. Shelton trying to
hold a baby and churn too. “I think I must have
seen him get hurt. Was he sawing?’’
“It sawed his leg right here,” Mrs. Shelton indi
cated her thigh, “and run a snag in his side. He
didn’t think he was hurt much at the first start, and
he went back to work. But his side tore loose and
went to bleeding and they had to bring him on up
here. Oh, Lord! but I wish Ben would hurry back.”
She looked anxiously through the window at the
road. “I’m scared his side will tear loose again.
The Doc come and fixed him up, but if anything was
to happen, goodness knows I couldn’t do nary blessed
thing but faint over like a fool. There comes Ben
now,” as a step that would be heavy no matter how
lightly he tried to walk, resounded on the porch.
The mountaineer stopped for a moment and asked
the man on the hearth a question, which, together
with the answer, was unintelligible to Lura. Shel
ton then stalked on into the kitchen and, after a
respectful, “good evenin’, ma’am,” to Lura inquired
if there was any fresh water up.
Assured that there was, he filled a glass, and, turn
ing to his wife, said: “Tildy, you’ll have to put
down the brat and come and help me give it to
him. You know what the Doc said about me movin’
him and I’m so shaky and bunglin’ that I can’t by
myself.”
“Oh, Lord! I can’t,” protested his wife. “You
know I can’t stand to look at no blood.,l’d keel
over as dead as a mack’rel if I—”
“Maybe I can help you, Mr. Shelton, “It came
out quite naturally and Lura stepped from behind
the stove. AA hy should it matter? He was only
a poor rough son of the hills; it need make no
difference whatever. And then—now that she was
to be thrown upon her own resources, she had just
about decided thinking out for the future to learn
nursing—so here was a good practical chance to
test her talent.
Ben Shelton glanced a little doubtfully at his
would-be assistant. It occurred to him that the touch
of the dirty, coal-blackened garments of the man
in yonder would contaminate those dainty hands,
that spotless dress —and there was the blood.
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TEST AND TEMPTATION
“You ain’t faintified?” he inquired bluntly.
Lura laughed softly as she looked into his face.
“Not one bit,” was her cheerful assurance.
“But I kinder hate —,” he began.
“Y es, but you needn’t,” Lura interrupted, her
eyes shining now with sympathy, at the thought of
being of service to the humblest.
’Tis a good way to bury heart-aches —helping oth
ers. For one brief moment she forgot Walter
Brandt, who had so cruelly deceived her —forgot
Alden Meire’s lady-mother who was ashamed to have
her boy marry her because of their “’money differ
ences;” Afeire nimself, who was not brave enough
to take a stand for himself, Airs. Holman, who
had been so anxious for her to marry Alden, her
cousin; her Aunt Helen, who would be so mortified
and angry,--yes, she forgot it all in the thought of
service to a suffering human being.
“Here now, Miss Lura, just kinder slip that arm
under his head —that’s the way. Easy now, we
ain’t a-goin’ to hurt you, Air. Brandt.”
Lura started violently. But, no, no, it could not
be of course; that other one had been dead four
years, ’twas just the name. This might be a bro —
The sick man let the arm drop slowly from over
his eyes, and the firelight shone full on his features.
In spite of the report of suicide, in spite of the
coarse dirty shirt at his throat, or the tanned, un
shaven face, she knew in a moment that it was —
Walter Brandt.
Lura did not cry out nor faint, but her face
suddenly lost its color and the arm under the man’s
head trembled visibly, as did her whole frame. The
mountain man looked uneasily at her.
“Losin’ your nerve?” he whispered. “I’m a-goin’
to wash up that blood direc’ly.”
She could not tell whether or not Walter Brandt
knew her. At least he did not appear agitated, and
she comforted herself with the thought that in his
weakened condition, it was possible he only half
realized her presence. She was soon to find out.
“Thank you,” he said very faintly, as they laid
him back down. “It was kind of you, Miss Bon
durant.”
Lura’s gentle face grew hard. “You —you —” she
began, as looking back at him, she reeled toward
the kitchen door. Just inside the door she sank
dowm, a huddled heap on the floor.
“Oh, Lord! I never seed such a time in all my
life.”
Lura opened her eyes and found herself in Mrs.
Shelton’s huge feather bed in the corner. She saw,
as in a maze, the peppers and newspapers that
adorned the walls and Airs. Shelton’s tearful face
bending over her.
She raised herself on her elbow, half expecting
to see no form on the hearth, no puddle of blood
beside him. The blood had been washed up, but
it was no dream. The man lay as when she first
saw him, one arm on the floor, the other over his
face. He had not moved.
Airs. Shelton tucked the cover in about the girl.
“Did the blood make you faint, honey?” she in
quired tenderly.
“I want to go home, Airs. Shelton,” she half
sobbed, trying to rise. “Do help me up and let me
go.”
In spite of Airs. Shelton’s protests, in spite of
her efforts to detain her by force, Lura got out and
staggering across the floor made for the door. Brandt
Ethel Tupper Walker.
did not so much as stir.
At that moment Aljr. Holman drove up.
“Airs. Belden wants you, Aliss Lura.” he announc
ed. “Why, what’s the matter?” he asked with some
concern as Airs. Shelton came helping her out the
door.
Mrs. Shelton explained what she thought to be the
cause of the girl’s condition, and helping her into
the car, watched them drive away.
(To be Continued.)
OUR PRESIDENTS PROCLAMATION
FOR PRAYER.
TESSA W. RODDEY
OR months the forces of evil have seemed to
hold sway in Europe and —so far as trying
to combine on food values —in America.
There are two mighty powers in this world —
F
Good and Evil. Sometimes it seems they are nearly
evenly divided —sometimes it seems Good has pre
vailed —sometimes it seems that Evil has prevailed—
for two months it would seem that evil is in the
ascendent —and has been using all the powers and
weapons of evil to win against the Good. Envy,
hatred, malice, spite, selfishness and greed. These
have led to murder —wholesale murder.
The forces of Good have seemed vanquished; we
have tried to see some way to meet the situation
without using the same evil weapons that arc being
used so cruelly across the seas.
A country that advocates peace cannot consistently
sight —cannot use the forces of the evil one even to
bring about good.
A voice has come to us revealing the way.
The most powerful forces for good in all the
cycles of time have been prayer and faith —we are
asked to use them in our efforts to bring the forces
of Good again in power.
A voice came to the people saying “Alobilize for
prayer on a certain day. Mobilize the thought
forces —mobilize the psychic powers of the soul —the
strong currents of thought into channels of good—
mobilize the souls of men to co-operation against
evil.”
What a powerful combination! What a wonder
ful effort!
AA r e are soldiers of the powers of God. Our God
is Love.
Our great Ruler is so great He can win by using
the forces of good.
On this appointed day we are to join our soul
forces in a mighty battle against the evil.
Think of it, people —a great and powerful and
wonderful current —torrent of love sweeping up to
the great white throne —the throne of power and
grace and of mighty tenderness and love!
What can we not do when in such powerful soul
touch with the forces of Infinity—of Immortality —
of Eternal Love!
What is the promise where we are “agreed as
touching” that for which we ask? Methinks I see
the great white way of His love extending all along
down to the world, lightening and brightening, glori
fying and forgiving, bringing a wonderful calm out
of the chaos of storm.
Afethinks I can hear the mighty chorus of angels
that will sing the hymn of Peace and Victory in
Heaven.
(Continued on page 5.)